Coin Flip
by Mythril Moth
Summary: Events can have different outcomes based on chance. A series of vignettes based on one event in various episodes of the show having a different outcome.
1. L'Imposteur

**Author's Notes:**

Hello, readers! Here's a little something new I wanted to experiment with.

These are short little "what-if" scenarios, based on a single event in an episode of the show having a different outcome.

I may or may not write one of these for every single episode, but I do have at least a few of them in mind already. Since I'm not having these ideas in episode order, I'm not even bothering to post them in episode order.

This is just silliness and none of these will be expanded on past the drabble stage. Enjoy!

* * *

 **MIRACULOUS LADYBUG: "COIN FLIP"**

 _by Mythril Moth_

 **L'Imposteur**

"Ugh, I have to go, I'm late!" Adrien cried as he stuffed his phone into his bag.

"But what about your voice mail?" Plagg asked. "It'll only take a second to check, and it could be important!"

Adrien frowned. "Well...I guess I won't be _too_ late if I check..." Shrugging, he grabbed his phone and unlocked it, then went to his voice mail.

 _"You have one new message. First message."_

 _"Hello, Adrien's voice mail! This is Marinette, who, uh, has a message! For you, of course, cause it's your phone! So...umm...eheh...callmeseeyoulaterbye!"_

There was the sound of a phone being thrown across the room and clattering across a surface, followed by a groan that sounded like Alya. Then:

 _"What? What did you expect me to say? 'Hey, hot stuff, this is Marinette. I'd ask you on a date to the movie, but I've got such a crazy crush on you that the only way I can talk to you without foaming at the mouth is over this stupid phone.' Pretty ridiculous, right?"_

Adrien's eyes grew progressively wider and his cheeks grew progressively redder as Marinette's obviously unintentional tirade went on and on.

Plagg raised an eyebrow. "Well. That was interesting."

"She called me hot stuff," Adrien mumbled.

"Hmm, so she did."

Adrien stood there staring at his phone for a long time.

"Aren't we going to be late?"

"Late?"

"You know, the statue dedication?"

"Oh." Adrien blinked, trying to unlock his brain. He slipped his phone into his pocket, transformed, and jumped out a window...just as Marinette snuck into the locker room, missing her by scant seconds.

* * *

Marinette was curled up in a ball of misery on her chaise.

The only thing that had gone right all day was the battle with Copycat. Everything else had been a disaster. Adrien's phone hadn't been in his locker, and he'd been nowhere in sight, meaning he'd probably heard that ridiculous message and now obviously thought she was an insane lunatic escaped from an asylum, out to boil his bunny rabbit and stick him in a hole and make him rub the lotion on his skin.

"I'm so, so doomed," she whined into the cavernous emptiness of her room.

There was a soft knock at her door. She didn't answer.

The door opened just a crack. An extra large pizza slid across the floor. She blinked at the sound of cardboard scraping on floor and looked over, curious.

Next, a couple of bags of chips slid into her room. Followed by a six-pack of sodas.

Then, a few DVD cases slid across the floor. By this point, Marinette's confusion was beginning to erode her despair, although she was certain the next thing to come out of the door would be Alya, and this was some kind of attempt at a comfort party.

Nothing could have prepared her for what happened next.

The door opened all the way, and Adrien climbed into the room, an awkward smile on his face, his cheeks pink.

"I, uhh...thought maybe we could have that date here," he said. "Not as many people around, we can just talk and enjoy ourselves, you know? I brought pizza, I brought some of my favorite movies..." He gave her a hopeful, sheepish grin.

Marinette's face flamed red. "Umm..."

Adrien started gathering up everything he'd brought and finding places to set it, then grabbed Marinette's computer chair and wheeled it over by the chaise. "I think I want to get to know the Marinette that left that voice mail, even if it was an accident," he said. "No more of this tongue-tied, shy, awkward, freaking out Marinette, okay?"

Marinette gulped. "Umm...I'll try?" she offered nervously.

"Good, because you're the only girl at school who's my type," Adrien said with a gentle smile.

Marinette felt her insides melt. "I-I am?"

Adrien laughed and took hold of her hands, pulling her to her feet as he rolled backwards. "Come on," he coaxed. "Movies, pizza, drinks...let's date."

Marinette felt a hopeful smile bloom on her face, and she nodded eagerly. "Yeah!"

* * *

 _Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Zagtoon, Method Animation, Toei Animation, and Thomas ASTRUC. This intellectual property is used without permission with no intent to profit from said use. The unique content contained on this page is the property of Mythril Moth, and redistribution of this content without express permission is strongly discouraged._


	2. Origins Pt 1

**Author's Notes:**

Haven't done one of these in a while, but there's one thing that's been bugging me forever about the Ladybug Miraculous. So I decided to have a little fun with it.

Enjoy!

* * *

 **MIRACULOUS LADYBUG: "COIN FLIP"**

 _by Mythril Moth_

 **Origins - Pt 1**

"I don't have any superpowers except super-clumsiness!" Marinette ranted. "Ah! You know who you should go see? My friend Alya! Well, I think she's my friend, but anyway...she adores superheroes! She'd be—"

"No, Marinette!" Tikki interrupted. "It's _you_ who's been chosen!"

Marinette looked at the earrings she held in the palm of her hand. "But...Tikki...I can't put these on..."

Tikki rolled her eyes. "You've been _chosen_ , Marinette! Have faith in yourself! You can—"

"No, I mean, I actually really can't put these on," Marinette said, holding up the earrings in one hand while pointing to her right earlobe with her right index finger. "I don't have pierced ears."

Tikki froze, mouth hanging open. "Umm..."

They both looked at Marinette's monitor, which showed the live broadcast of Stoneheart rampaging through Paris.

Tikki's antennae drooped. "Well..."

"Sorry," Marinette said sheepishly.

Tikki sighed. "Well this is awkward..."

* * *

 _Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Zagtoon, Method Animation, Toei Animation, and Thomas ASTRUC. This intellectual property is used without permission with no intent to profit from said use. The unique content contained on this page is the property of Mythril Moth, and redistribution of this content without express permission is strongly discouraged._


	3. Lady Wifi

**Author's Notes:**

Another chapter! This time, we'll examine what happens when Director Damocles grows a pair!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **MIRACULOUS LADYBUG: "COIN FLIP"**

 _by Mythril Moth_

 **Lady Wifi**

"Do my ears deceive me?" Chloé asked, pressing an affronted hand to her chest. "A measly hour of detention?" She snapped her fingers. "Sabrina!"

Alya watched with a scowl as Sabrina rattled off the school policy about theft. Director Damocles frowned. "Well, that's true of course, but you said it yourself, nothing was stolen."

Chloé smirked. "I'm sure my daddy _the Mayor_ would see it differently!" she said, slamming a palm on the desk.

Director Damocles' face hardened. "Now see here," he said stiffly. "I do not for one instant believe Alya is guilty of _anything_ , and I do not appreciate your attitude! I _will_ be speaking to Mayor Bourgeois momentarily," he added, "and as for _you_..." He pulled out a detention form and clicked his pen. "Chloé Bourgeois, three days' detention, _two_ hours each day." He gave Alya a stern look. "Alya Césaire, a warning about snooping in other students' lockers without permission. You're free to go. No detention."

Alya stood. "Thank you, Director Damocles," she said. Smirking at a fuming Chloé, she strode purposefully out of the office.

The next day, Alya's suspicion of Chloé was dimissed entirely when she and Director Damocles were held hostage by an Akumatized Chloé, then rescued by Ladybug and Chat Noir.

* * *

 _Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Zagtoon, Method Animation, Toei Animation, and Thomas ASTRUC. This intellectual property is used without permission with no intent to profit from said use. The unique content contained on this page is the property of Mythril Moth, and redistribution of this content without express permission is strongly discouraged._


	4. Le Bulleur

**Author's Notes:**

Another chapter! This time, Nathalie does the right thing at the right time...

Enjoy!

* * *

 **MIRACULOUS LADYBUG: "COIN FLIP"**

 _by Mythril Moth_

 **Le Bulleur**

Nathalie stared at the neatly wrapped package and the post-it note stuck to it with the signature of one 'Marinette'. Her brow furrowed. She reached out to the little note...

She hesitated.

A small frown pursed her lips.

Shaking her head, she picked up the package and left her office.

* * *

Adrien looked up as Nathalie approached, a blue-wrapped package in her hand. "One of your classmates delivered this earlier," she said crisply as she laid it on the table in front of him. Adjusting her glasses, she added, "Your father instructed me to ask what you would like for your birthday. I'll have it here within the hour."

Adrien blinked. "That's unusual," he said. "Give me a minute to think?"

"Of course. In the meantime, open your classmate's present." Nathalie stepped back, hands folded primly in front of her.

Adrien picked up the blue-wrapped package, looking at the post-it on the front. He smiled in delight, his eyes wide. "It's from Marinette?" With the happiest expression Nathalie could remember ever seeing on his face, Adrien tore open the wrapping paper...

* * *

"Hi girls!"

Alya and Marinette looked over as Adrien emerged from his car, a bright blue scarf draped around his shoulders and a happy smile on his face. He also wore a new jacket; darker blue instead of white, accentuating the scarf.

Marinette gasped happily.

Adrien walked right up to them, smiling at Marinette. "Thank you," he said. "I love the scarf. I can tell you put a lot of work into making it."

Marinette blushed and stammered. "W-well, y-yes, I mean, it was worth it...for you? I'm like you glad it, glad I mean like—" Alya slapped her on the back of the head. She staggered slightly, her face flushing.

"That a new jacket, dude?" Nino asked as he walked up to the group.

"Yeah, it's from my father," Adrien said, turning this way and that to show it off. Chuckling, he added, "Actually, he had Nathalie pick up whatever I wanted for my birthday, so..." He fingered the hand-knit scarf. "Once I saw this amazing scarf, I decided to get a jacket that would go with it."

"Very nice," Alya said with a grin.

Adrien took Marinette's hand and kissed it. "Thanks again," he said. "It really means a lot to me." With that, he headed for the school entrance, the others falling in step behind him...more or less.

Marinette was frozen in place, unable to move or even blink.

In her purse, Tikki giggled. "Looks like Adrien isn't the only one who got a present," she said slyly.

* * *

 _Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Zagtoon, Method Animation, Toei Animation, and Thomas ASTRUC. This intellectual property is used without permission with no intent to profit from said use. The unique content contained on this page is the property of Mythril Moth, and redistribution of this content without express permission is strongly discouraged._


	5. Lady Wifi (Take II)

**Author's Notes:**

Because sometimes, you have more than one idea for a given episode...

I've already done one of these for Lady Wifi, but due to a suggestion from Tatsurou-san early this morning, I decided to do a second one. This time, we're going to look at what happens if Marinette takes Alya's suggestion at the end of the episode seriously.

Enjoy!

* * *

 **MIRACULOUS LADYBUG: "COIN FLIP"**

 _by Mythril Moth_

 **Lady Wifi (Take II)**

 _Don't you think with a mask and a costume, he looks like Chat Noir?_

Marinette had dismissed it as completely insane at the time, but later that day, Alya's words and the hasty photoshop on her phone were rattling around in Marinette's head, robbing her of her concentration.

With a growl of frustration, she pulled Adrien's schedule down and searched it for the current hour. _He has a photo shoot in the park right now...it's just finishing up. If I hurry..._

Nodding, Marinette got to her feet. Tikki hurried to jump into her purse. "Where are we going, Marinette?"

"To find out for sure."

* * *

Adrien let out a weary sigh as Vincent _finally_ served up his last spaghetti of the day and cleared out, his crew packing up their equipment. He saw Nathalie and Gorilla waiting with the car to take him home—not for any extra lessons, thankfully, but just because he literally had nothing else to do.

He was just starting for the car when a breathless Marinette burst out of the bushes and ran up to him. "We need to talk," she panted.

Adrien blinked at her. "Marinette? Are you alright?"

"Yes...no...I don't know..." Marinette took a deep breath, then looked Adrien right in the eyes. "I need to talk to you. Alone. Please."

Adrien studied her, concern in his warm green eyes. "Alright," he said. "Let me try to get rid of Nathalie and the Gorilla."

Marinette watched Adrien walk over to the car and speak to Nathalie for a minute, gesturing back to Marinette. Nathalie frowned, seemed poised to argue, stopped, adjusted her glasses, and nodded. After a long moment, Nathalie and the Gorilla got back in the car and drove away, and Adrien rejoined Marinette with a consoling smile. "Alright," he said, walking back over to the fountain he had perched on for his photo shoot and taking a seat. "What's up?"

Marinette sat down beside him carefully, studying his face intently. Adrien leaned back, taken aback by the sudden scrutiny. "Are you okay?" Adrien asked hesitantly.

Marinette took a deep breath, focusing her gaze directly into his eyes. He blinked, finding something hauntingly familiar and yet out of place in those sparkling blue eyes...

"Adrien, are you Chat Noir?"

Adrien jumped back. "Wh-what?!" He shook his head. "Where's this coming from?"

Marinette frowned. "I..." She took a deep breath. "I know it's supposed to stay a secret, but...are you?" Even as she said it, her gaze drifted to his right hand, to his ring. Her eyes tightened slightly, her mouth pursing.

Adrien laughed shakily. "Me, Chat Noir? How could I be—I mean, I'm not—"

And then Marinette whispered something, just barely loud enough for Adrien to hear.

Something Marinette could not have possibly known.

Adrien's eyes widened. _"Ladybug?"_

Marinette looked up at him, her face a brilliant pink. "We have a lot to talk about," she said shakily.

* * *

 _Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Zagtoon, Method Animation, Toei Animation, and Thomas ASTRUC. This intellectual property is used without permission with no intent to profit from said use. The unique content contained on this page is the property of Mythril Moth, and redistribution of this content without express permission is strongly discouraged._


	6. Jackady

**Author's Notes:**

So what would've happened if things went down a little differently when Jackady hypnotized Gabriel...?

EDIT: Sorry about the formatting, folks! A little derp on my part...fixed now though.

Enjoy!

* * *

 **MIRACULOUS LADYBUG: "COIN FLIP"**

 _by Mythril Moth_

 **Jackady**

"Simon Says... _YOU'RE A BUTTERFLY!_ " Jackady flicked out a card, on which the silhouette of a butterfly appeared. He gave the card a dramatic flick; it collided with Gabriel's chest...

Gabriel's face suddenly twisted into a sneer of cruel, malevolent rage. With a bright pink flash, he transformed...

Jackady took a step back. "Wh-what?!"

Papillon grabbed Jackady by the shirt and lifted him off the ground. "YOU _IDIOT!_ " he snarled. "Of ALL the POSSIBLE hypnosis cards, you HAD to choose THAT!"

Outside, Ladybug and Chat Noir had skidded to a halt, staring at the monitors on the outside of the studio, jaws dropped. "What..." Ladybug said.

"N-no..." Chat Noir whispered.

"Did Monsieur Agreste just...just turn into Papillon?" Ladybug asked.

"It...it has to be because of Jackady's cards, right?" Chat Noir said helplessly. "Right?" he repeated in a pleading tone.

Ladybug frowned. "There's one way to find out..." She barged into the studio, where Papillon was throwing a helpless Jackady around like a rag doll. Without fanfare, she grabbed his deck of cards and tossed half of them at Chat Noir. Before either villain could react, they began tearing cards up until the Akuma appeared.

Once Ladybug purified the Akuma, Jackady reverted to the hapless hypnotist...but Papillon remained.

Chat Noir tilted his head. "Alright, so is everyone still hypnotized, or—"

"No, I'm not," the Gorilla said, frowning in confusion.

Papillon stared from Ladybug to Chat Noir, taking a defensive step back, a cold snarl twisting his cruel mouth.

"So...that means Papillon was Gabriel Agreste this whole time?" Ladybug asked.

"I...I guess so," Chat Noir said quietly, his tail falling limp and lifeless.

"Tch...!" Papillon spat. "So you've unmasked me. I'll destroy the evidence! If you come after me, I'll kill the witnesses! This isn't over, Ladybug! Chat Noir! _I WILL HAVE YOUR MIRACU—_ "

Chat Noir's baton whipped out and smacked the butterfly brooch right off his chest, breaking his transformation. "It's over," Chat Noir said coldly. Before Gabriel could react, Chat Noir leapt forward, snatched up the Butterfly Miraculous, pocketed it, and left without a word to Ladybug.

"Chaton...?" Ladybug murmured in confusion, staring after him. "What...?"

Gabriel snorted. "Heh..." He began to laugh. "Hahahaha... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Ladybug whirled on him, scowling. "What's so funny?"

Gabriel sneered contemptuously at her. "Of course...it's so obvious now...Chat Noir is—!"

* * *

Chat Noir sat alone and fuming at the top of Eiffel Tower.

He heard the distinctive sound of Ladybug's yo-yo. He glanced to his left.

She landed lightly beside him. "Adrien," she said softly. Chat Noir flinched.

"They arrested him," Ladybug said gently. "I'm...I'm sorry."

Chat Noir snorted. "He deserves it," he said sourly.

"He's your dad," Ladybug said pleadingly.

"He's a monster." Chat Noir glared at Ladybug. "How long have you known...?"

Ladybug sighed. "He figured it out when you left like that," she said. "Adrien, I..." She grimaced, then bowed her head. "I know things are tough between you and your father, and he has a lot to answer for...this is pretty much the end of his career, but..." She looked up at him. "Even if he's evil, even if he did all these terrible things...he's still your father. You should at least see him. Ask him why."

Chat Noir looked away and frowned. "Would you?"

"Yes."

Chat Noir snorted. "Of course you would," he said. "You can't possibly know—"

"But I _do_ know," Ladybug said. "I know because...because I know _you_ , Adrien. I know...you won't be able to live with yourself if you don't—"

"What makes you think you know me?" Chat Noir snapped. "You know Chat Noir! You don't know a THING about—"

Ladybug put a finger to his lips and looked him in the eyes. "But I do," she said. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I'm Marinette."

Chat Noir blinked. "Marinette?" he whispered.

Ladybug nodded. "Yeah. And...and I care about you. A lot." She looked away. "So...so I do know. I mean, I don't know everything, and I guess maybe I don't know you as well as I want to, but..."

Chat Noir enfolded her in a tight hug, buried his face in her shoulder, and cried. "Marinette," he sobbed. "Marinette..."

Ladybug said nothing, simply holding him while he let it all out.

* * *

 _Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Zagtoon, Method Animation, Toei Animation, and Thomas ASTRUC. This intellectual property is used without permission with no intent to profit from said use. The unique content contained on this page is the property of Mythril Moth, and redistribution of this content without express permission is strongly discouraged._


	7. Kung Food

**Author's Notes:**

Bit of a dark one this time...

What would happen if Ladybug and Chat Noir were too late to save an Akumatized's victim?

Enjoy...

* * *

 **MIRACULOUS LADYBUG: "COIN FLIP"**

 _by Mythril Moth_

 **Kung Food**

They were too late.

The ensorcelled Alec and Chef Césaire had held them up too long. They arrived on the roof to find Kung Food alone with a bubbling, steaming pool of soup.

Chat Noir looked around wildly. "Where...where's Chloé?"

Kung Food threw back his head and laughed. "The main ingredient of my Brat Soup, she is cooking splendidly!"

Ladybug stared in horror at a snapped rope that dangled above the soup. Her eyes widened. "No..."

Chat Noir's jaw tightened. "We have to save her..."

"IT IS TOO LATE!" Kung Food bellowed triumphantly. He thrust a meaty hand into the soup and grabbed hold of a long blond ponytail.

The girl he pulled out of the boiling soup was clearly already dead.

Ladybug and Chat Noir paled, glancing at each other. "We...we failed," Ladybug said in a quavering voice.

"We couldn't have..."

Kung Food let Chloé fall back into the soup with a loud splash, then pulled a giant pizza sword from his bag. "And now for you two..."

* * *

Lucky Charm could fix destroyed buildings, hypnotized people, severe injuries, and even an Eiffel Tower that had been sliced in half.

It could not, as it turned out, bring back the dead.

Rain fell in a gentle curtain over Paris. Beneath black umbrellas, mourners gathered around as a priest delivered a eulogy over a closed casket.

"Chloé...she was a terrible person, but she didn't deserve this," Alya said. Her mother was among those present, along with everyone who had been present on the day of Chloé's death—except for Cheng Sifu, who had fallen ill and returned to China.

Adrien Agreste stood with his father, who looked grave as he studied the casket. "Such tragedies would not happen if Ladybug and Chat Noir would simply surrender to their foe," Gabriel said softly.

Adrien gaped at him. "Father, how can you say that? Ladybug and Chat Noir are heroes!"

"And yet they failed to save this girl's life," Gabriel said.

"Excuse me, but this is not the time or place for this argument," a gruff voice said to their side.

Mayor Bourgeois had seen better days. He was haggard; his clothes were unkempt and he wasn't wearing his sash. Much of his hair had turned even more grey since Chloé's death, and his face was sharply lined and sunken.

At the back of the crowd, Marinette stood with a bitterly weeping Sabrina, trying her best to console the distraught girl, a task made difficult by the guilt she felt.

Her first true failure as Ladybug...

True, she had stumbled with Stoneheart, but she'd made it right in the end.

This...

There was no making amends for this.

Chloé Bourgeois was dead because Ladybug hadn't been fast enough.

No...Chloé Bourgeois was dead because _Marinette_ had provoked her into throwing a tantrum that caused Cheng Sifu to be Akumatized.

As Ladybug _and_ as Marinette, she had failed...

Her nails dug into her palm as she clenched a fist at her side.

 _I'm sorry, Chloé. Hawk Moth will pay for this...and then I'll take off the Miraculous and never put it on again._

* * *

 _Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Zagtoon, Method Animation, Toei Animation, and Thomas ASTRUC. This intellectual property is used without permission with no intent to profit from said use. The unique content contained on this page is the property of Mythril Moth, and redistribution of this content without express permission is strongly discouraged._


End file.
